Raelene Norma Drought was caught drink-driving twice in a matter of hours

A Central Queensland woman who got busted drink-driving with a high reading of .231 got even drunker before she was caught behind the wheel again just hours later.

Raelene Drought faced Yeppoon Magistrates Court for her offending.

A court has heard an astonishing case where a Central Queensland woman busted drink-driving with a high reading of .231 got even drunker before she was caught behind the wheel again just hours later.

Raelene Norma Drought, 50, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court on November 10 to two counts of drink-driving and one of unlicensed driving.

She was one of several to plead guilty to drink-driving charges on the day.

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Kevin Ongheen said on October 7 at 7.30pm, police attended Drought’s Taroomball residence in relation to another matter.

Sgt Ongheen said police observed Drought to be “highly intoxicated”.

“Police spoke to (Drought) regarding that other matter and during that conversation, the police were told that she (Drought) wanted to drive and get cigarettes,” Sgt Ongheen said.

“Police told (Drought) not to drive.”

The prosecutor said police left Drought’s residence and drove to the nearest intersection where they did a U-turn.

Sgt Ongheen said police then saw Drought reversing a Great Wall Haval H6 out of her driveway and she started driving away.

Drought was intercepted by police just three houses from hers.

She returned a blood-alcohol reading of .231 - nearly five times over the legal limit.

Her driver’s licence was immediately suspended as a result.

Then at 12.45am, some five hours later, police caught Drought again driving a Great Wall Haval H6, this time on James Street, Yeppoon.

She returned an even higher blood-alcohol reading of .248.

The court heard Drought had no offending of this sort on her traffic history.

Solicitor James Fisher said Drought was a mother of two who had the support of her parents in the back of the court.

Mr Fisher said Drought’s employment history was primarily in business-related endeavours and she had worked consistently as a bookkeeper and in administration.

Mr Fisher said Drought was currently not working and was receiving Jobseeker Allowance, and she had been going through a difficult period having recently separated from her husband of about 25 years.

“Regarding the events of the 7th and 8th of October, I don’t have a whole lot to add, but Ms Drought’s instructions are, that she remembers very little,” Mr Fisher said.

Mr Fisher said on the night of the offending, Drought had mixed her prescription medication with alcohol.

“...she accepts that because of her level of intoxication, she was reckless and she was irrational,” Mr Fisher said.

Mr Fisher tendered numerous documents to the court including a reference for Drought and proof she had sought professional help for her issues.

Magistrate Grace Kahlert described Drought’s offending as “very concerning” but she noted Drought’s traffic history was “very limited.”

Ms Kahlert placed Drought on six months’ probation with conditions and disqualified her from driving for three years.